What he say? Jerry Colangelo clarifies remarks about Deron Williams

Jerry Colangelo seemed to take back or explain what he told Stefan Bondy about Deron Williams' fitness at the London Olympics last summer.

In talking to Brian Mahoney of AP, Colangelo explained...

''I said a lot of things which basically said, look, our players are better off with us, we take care of our players, they're important assets, and on and on and on.

''And I said and by the way, he wasn't in the best of shape, and that's true, because if you remember he didn't even practice with us the first week because of contract and so forth. I certainly never said he was unfit to play USA Basketball.''

On Saturday, Stefan Bondy quoted Colangelo in a Daily News story headlined, "Brooklyn Nets star Deron Williams unfit at Olympics, according to USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo." Colangelo told Bondy, "Deron Williams, for the Olympics, was not in the best shape. He was a little overweight, and I told him that at the time." Early Sunday, after the AP report, Bondy posted audio from his interview with Colangelo.

Colangelo said he would talk to Williams, a fellow University of Illinois product.

''My plan is to give Deron a call and tell him exactly what took place,'' Colangelo told AP. ''It wasn't meant to embarrass him at all.''

• Colangelo clarifies remarks on Williams' fitness - Brian Mahoney - AP
  
• Colangelo Soundbite (Audio) - Stefan Bondy -NY Daily News